


A New Foundation

by Cyan (vehicroids)



Category: Tales of Zestiria
Genre: F/M, Future Fic, Like this takes place in the next 20 or so years post game, Post-Canon, Tales of Zestiria Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-26
Updated: 2019-02-26
Packaged: 2019-11-06 04:56:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17933249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vehicroids/pseuds/Cyan
Summary: Edna was convinced Mikleo would never speak to her again once it was all over. She was surprised to find out she was wrong.





	A New Foundation

Their journey had finally come to a close. The four seraphim stood together, a gentle breeze brushing past them. If Edna was of a superstitious sort, she would have thought that was Dezel, just for one last goodbye. Trust him to still be hanging around.

They stood in silence, contemplating the months they spent together. Honestly, these had been the longest and most exciting months in Edna's life, despite her centuries. It helped that this was her first adventure in a very long time.

She looked to Mikleo, who was holding himself. Edna considered saying something, but she knew she would only make it worse. It couldn't have been easy losing a best friend. Unfortunately for him, this wouldn't be the last loss he would mourn. Edna knew better than to mention it.

For three of the seraphim, their journey with Shepherds was over. For Lailah, it wasn't over. She would wait for a new Shepherd, and the circle would begin anew. Malevolence, Shepherd, lord of calamity, quell, and a sacrifice of some kind - regardless of whether that sacrifice was good or not. Edna wondered how long Lailah could keep doing this for before she would break. She was either very strong or very stupid.

Zaveid put a hand on Lailah's shoulder, flashing her what he probably thought was a charming smile. From the way Lailah mirrored his smile, it must have worked.

“Don't worry, Lady Lailah,” Zaveid said, “I can escort you back to Ladylake.”

Edna groaned. Of course he would offer to walk her back like a ‘gentleman’. What surprised her was Lailah accepting with a quiet giggle, and then leaving with him. This left just Edna and Mikleo by themselves. It felt unceremonious, an anti climax of their adventures. This was just how they were.

“So it's over,” Mikleo said.

“Yep, this is it until the next one,” Edna said. She looked up at him. “Are you gonna cry? It's okay if you do.”

“I'm not gonna…” he sighed, giving up on his sentence.

If Edna was honest, she was disappointed it was over, even if she knew it would end eventually. She didn't want to let it end yet. She wondered if Mikleo was thinking the same as her.

The man standing beside her was different to the boy she had met months ago. While before she used to love tormenting this boy, he wasn't so easy to tease anymore. She missed that. Eyes that were once wide with wonder had narrowed into a glare. At least he had never lost that spark in those pretty violet eyes - Edna hoped Mikleo would never become jaded like her.

“What's your plan now?” Mikleo asked.

Edna didn't know if he was genuinely curious or making polite conversation, or if he was trying to stall the end. She answered anyway. “I'm going home.”

Her heart was still back in Rayfalke Spiricrest. It was going to be difficult. She had spent centuries used to her brother, used to his domain and presence. Edna was going to miss that. It would be quiet without his roars overhead. It would be strange without him, but Edna had to go back. The humans would keep climbing the mountain as a holy pilgrimage, and someone had to make sure they didn't die. Edna would have to bear that burden. It was boring, but what else could she do?

“Lemme guess,” Edna hummed, “you'll be waiting for Sorey. Oh my dear Sorey, how I have waited long for your resurrection so that I may fall into your arms.”

The poor impression made Mikleo roll his eyes. “No. I'm gonna travel the world.”

Mikleo wanting to travel didn't surprise her at all. There was a reason he and Sorey had left their safe village of Elysia, after all - because they both loved the fear of the unknown. Ever the adventurous type.

“You could always come with me,” Mikleo said.

That was definitely not a genuine offer. She held back a scoff. “No thanks.”

“Oh. Well… yeah, I guess you have your own thing.”

If it was a genuine offer, Edna didn't know what she would have said. She couldn't imagine Mikleo wanting her with him as he crawled through ruins. There was no use entertaining these thoughts.

“I guess this is it,” Edna said, turning to face Mikleo.

He looked at her, but said nothing. He was waiting for her to say something stupid or mean, but she had no intention of doing so. Edna didn't want to leave on the same sour terms that their friendship was based on. She wanted them to at least end on the right foot.

“One hug. That's all you get,” Edna said.

He paused, like he was waiting for her to reveal she was kidding. She wasn't. He hesitated, before slowly winding his arms around her, like he was still waiting for her to hit him. Edna hugged him back, closing her eyes and taking him in.

Mikleo was surprisingly warm to the touch. He was skinny, and it was hard to find a part of him that was comfortable to lean against. Edna's face pressed against his chest; he smelled like a cold winter's morning, like frozen dew. Once Edna found her groove in his arms, that was when Mikleo pulled away. Stupid Mikleo.

“I guess I'll see you later,” Mikleo said.

“Yep. See you around, Meebo.”

Edna opened up her umbrella and left, strolling away from Mikleo. Leaving him felt like leaving behind a huge section of her life. These few months felt more important to her than centuries of existence. Maybe she should have told them all as much before they all split off - this could have been her last chance for genuine emotion. No thanks. She knew she would see Lailah and Zaveid again, anyway. Lailah was an old friend, while Zaveid was an old nuisance.

Mikleo, however, she didn't know. Their friendship lasted as long as their adventures - beyond that, they had nothing. There was no excuse to talk to each other. Edna shrugged it off. She was used to the coming and going of people from her life, like the tides of the sea. That was just how life is.

\--

Rayfalke Spiricrest was always a strange place. It was once a birthplace of earth seraphim - including Edna. Of course, after Eizen had taken the mountain, seraphim were no longer born there. So instead, Edna was left alone with Eizen. It was better that way. That is, until she had met Sorey.

It was funny that it was a human to have helped her - it was humans that had landed Eizen into his state. Edna felt it was a shame that she never got to thank Sorey, but even if he wasn't asleep, she would have never thanked him. Her pride was something else.

The first step back on the Spiricrest was the strangest. No malevolence. No domain. Just Edna and her mountain, to do with as she pleased. And boy, did she have some changes to make.

She took a slow stroll up the familiar path, up the sandy-coloured trail. It was peaceful. Nothing had grown since she left, not that she expected it to. It was just brown. That is until further up top, a flower caught her eye. Growing in a crack in the rocks was a single edna, small and delicate. Even in a dry place like this, a flower could grow and prosper. Edna was not unlike her flora counterpart.

Even she could grow in a terrain like this.

It took some time for people to start coming to the mountain, leaving her offerings and prayers. It was a pain, but it made her strong, so she shouldn't argue. She liked the palmiers they left for her though. She waited until they were gone before eating all of them like she hadn't eaten in days. Edna figured the palmiers were Alisha or Rose's doing, but she wasn't about to renounce free palmiers.

It felt strange to be worshipped like a goddess. Edna knew she was an amazing seraph, but this was something else. She wasn't complaining, not really. She still wasn't a fan of humans, even if Sorey had taught her not all humans were bad. A thousand year history, centuries of fostered hatred were hard to dismantle in a few months. Yet still, she couldn't hate them. They were babies who needed her protection, clearly.

“Miss Edna and her army of worshippers!”

Edna recognised that voice, that deep, arrogant voice. She turned around to him, eyes narrowed into a glare. She wasn't displeased to see Zaveid, but she didn't want him to think she cared. That was a softness he would exploit.

The army of worshippers Zaveid was referring to was a couple - an older pair of humans coming to pay their respects. Their son had died on the mountain a year or so ago, turned into a dragon's snack. She knew because she had heard them praying, and now, they were asking for the gentle earth seraph's protection.

“I thought I felt something evil step into my home,” she said. “Still allergic to shirts, huh.”

Zaveid laughed. “Lailah loves it.”

Edna distinctly remembered Lailah constantly complaining about his shirtlessness. Either Lailah had been repressing her true feelings, or Zaveid was lying. Either way wouldn't have surprised her.

“What are you doing here?” Edna asked.

“Ouch! So cold. Is that really how you’re gonna treat your brother?” Zaveid asked, but when Edna’s eyes narrowed further, he shrugged. “I come with a present. I didn’t wanna start with that, but you twisted my arm.”

He dropped the bag he was carrying on his shoulder to the floor and fished out a small package. Edna eyed him suspiciously before looking down at the package. It was squishy, wrapped in cutesy paper. Upon unwrapping and unfolding the item, she realised it was a new dress. It had too many ruffles for her liking.

“This has Lailah written all over it,” she said, not the least bit amused.

“Who do you think picked it?”

Of course it was Lailah. Zaveid didn't have any fashion sense. Then again, nor did Lailah, but her odd frills suited her. Edna prefered something more low key. Maybe she could make her own adjustments to it.

“Is that it?” Edna asked.

“I don’t need an excuse to see you, do I? Yeah, I brought you a little housewarming gift, but can’t two old friends catch up?” Zaveid asked.

She didn’t refuse, but she didn’t say yes, either. Zaveid took it as a yes.

“So, anyone else been here yet? Or am I the first?” he asked.

“Nope, just you and a bunch of humans,” Edna said.

As far as Edna knew, Lailah had started travelling with a new Shepherd, which was probably why Zaveid was wandering alone again. She couldn't take a detour to the mountain, and Edna had no interest in going to find her. Mikleo was travelling too - he wasn't going to visit. The only person who wasn’t too busy was standing beside her.

“Not even Mickey?”

Edna rolled her eyes. “He doesn’t have a reason to see me.”

A begrudging alliance for the greater good did not make them friends, it just made them polite. It worked better this way. No one was obligated to like each other. As long as Mikleo was safe and happy on his travels, who was Edna to care? That was what she kept telling herself.

“Seriously?” he threw an arm around her and squeezed. “C’mon, after all that, you’re gonna say you can just turn your heart off?”

Edna pressed her lips together, forming a hard line. “My heart was never on in the first place.”

“That’s funny. Eizen said that to me once.” Zaveid grinned at her. “Then he ended up-”

Edna whacked him with her umbrella. Eizen was never a topic of conversation, especially not after what Zaveid had told her. He could paint it as a love story for the ages as much as he wanted, Edna did not want to hear about it.

“I wouldn’t compare you and Mikleo, anyway. At least he has a brain cell,” Edna said. “Even if he did share it with Sorey.”

Zaveid laughed, but Edna did not.

“Still, it’s not hard to take a detour between ruins to come see you,” Zaveid said.

“I don’t care. Mikleo can do what he wants,” Edna said.

She could admit to herself that not seeing him did hurt a little. People came and went, but it did not hurt any less.

\--

Edna was bored. The mountain was boring. People were boring. Adventuring sucked, but at least she was doing something. There was always someone to talk to, or someone to irritate for her amusement. Humans couldn’t see her, and trying to frighten them would not play in her favour. Instead, she watched on, feeling like nothing more than a ghost.

A couple of people had been able to perceive her so far, but only her voice. It was strange when it happened, and it reminded her of Rose when she had first heard seraphim. The frightened look on a poor human’s face when they heard a disembodied voice was priceless. It wasn’t much for entertainment, but what else did she have?

Edna missed her friends. She also missed adventuring, even if just a little. A part of her wished she had never left the mountain, but she was more glad that she had. She sat by herself, watching the humans. Maybe being a lord of the land wasn't too bad.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so lost in thought.”

At first, Edna was glad it wasn’t Zaveid. She did recognise the voice, however. She turned around, and Mikleo was standing there, his arms folded over his chest. He looked a little taller, or perhaps it was her imagination. His hair had gotten longer, now more of a shaggy bob than the styled short mess that it used to be. It had only been a few months, but Edna was inconceivably glad to see him.

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

“Lailah wanted me to give you something.”

He handed her a package that he had tucked under his arm, wrapped up in cute paper. Curse her friends for figuring out her love of cute stationery. One look inside, and it was a bag of homemade cookies, neatly decorated by a patient hand. Sure, Lailah was good at decorations, but nothing so intricate. There was only one person who could. Besides, she was travelling - there was no way she had made these. Something felt off, here.

Edna looked up at Mikleo, who was looking away from her. Ah, the face of guilt. She took a cookie, before holding the open bag out to him.

“Do you want one?” she asked, her tone as cold as ever. “You climbed all the way up here to deliver these, so you might as well take one.”

Edna hoped he would say no - free cookies were always welcome - but he didn’t. With quiet thanks, he took a cookie. She sat down, but Mikleo remained standing. He was so strange.

“Is that all you wanted?”

“No, I…” Mikleo swallowed. “I wanted to ask you something.”

Now this caught her attention. “What?”

Mikleo paused, before sitting down with Edna. He folded his hands neatly over his lap, staring off into the distance with her. She placed the cookies between them, before grabbing another one.

“How did you deal with Eizen's death?” Mikleo asked.

The first word that came to mind was poorly. She could remember sobbing, begging Sorey and Zaveid not to. She coped with it by armitizing with Sorey and killing Eizen herself. Her method was definitely not universal. Edna broke the cookie in her hand, leaving the neat little chunks on her skirt instead of eating it.

“It’s simple. The Eizen I knew was dead, and I was clinging to a creature that shared his name,” she said.

Mikleo sighed, and his shoulders sank. That clearly wasn't the answer he was hoping for. Edna wondered which loss was affecting him more - the loss of Zenrus, or Sorey staying with Maotelus. It couldn’t have been easy losing two people in one go. Now that it was all over, Mikleo had all the time in the world to process it, and he had to process it alone. At least Edna had the others around her when Eizen died.

“So you've been coming to terms with it for a while,” Mikleo said.

“Yeah. For a few years, actually.”

For a few years, she had to fight Zaveid off. That was still Eizen, still her brother. He wasn’t. That was just a dragon. It didn't make dealing with the aftermath any easier.

“I don't know how you do it. How you're so… composed?” Mikleo said.

“Death is a kind of salvation for some. I’ve done my crying.” Edna shrugged. “Don't worry about me. Learn to worry about yourself for once.”

Mikleo was quiet. He stared down at the cookie he pinched between his fingers, uneaten, the icing sticking to his skin. Edna frowned.

“Just say what's really on your mind.”

“I don't know if I'll ever get over Sorey. I don't know if I'll ever see him again, or…” he trailed off, his eyes on the cookie.

There it was. Edna was surprised Mikleo was coming to her for this. Lailah and Zaveid had lost people, with the bonus of being closer (and nicer) to Mikleo. Perhaps he felt they were closer in age, but she was over fifty times older than him. Really, if he wanted closeness in age, he should have asked Lailah. Then again, Sorey was like a brother to him, and Edna was the only one who had lost a sibling. That was probably it.

“Live for a few hundred years, and you get used to losing people,” she said.

He grimaced. “I can’t imagine that.”

“Time flies. One day, you’ll be over a thousand and wondering what you did with your life,” she said.

“I- wait, how old are you again?”

Edna whacked Mikleo with her umbrella. He groaned, rubbing his head.

“Not answering that.”

“Ow, okay, I’m sorry,” he grumbled. “You just look young, but you act so… old.”

Edna was going to hit him again, but he was right. She usually behaved far beyond her years. She put her umbrella down, opting for a cookie instead.

“Maybe I’m just mature for my age,” she hummed, and Mikleo scoffed.

“You’re not mature.”

Again, he had a point. Edna rolled her eyes before taking a bite out of the cookie. She kicked her legs as she sat, watching people with Mikleo.

“So where are you going next?”

“I don’t know. I think I’ve seen everywhere there is to see in Glenwood,” he said. “I think it’s time to move on.”

Edna shifted a little, staring down at her lap. This felt like deja vu, except this time, she wasn’t going to beg anyone to stay. Admittedly, she was disappointed, but not surprised.

“Just so you know, there’s quicker ways of saying goodbye,” she said. “And you've already said goodbye a few months ago. This was pointless, so thanks.”

“I'm not trying to,” he said. “I came here to make amends, not say goodbye.”

Edna held up one of the cookies. “So you did make these.”

“... yeah. I heard you liked sweets, but I didn’t know what.”

“I like palmiers, marrons glacés…” she said. “As long as it's sweet, I don't care.”

“Alright. Maybe next time, I'll bring you some.”

Edna couldn’t help but give him a little smile.

“Sure. Next time.”

***

Edna made her morning walk around the mountain when she heard the familiar hum of a turtlez. When he saw her, he smiled brightly at her. It had been a while since a turtlez had come for her with a letter or a package. This time, it was just a letter.

“Letter for yaz,” he said, holding it out to her.

She thought the poor turtlez was mistaken - when did people write to her? - but he never was. With thanks, she took the letter and almost immediately tore it open. The writing was neat, intricate, like the writer had taken their time writing it. There was only one person so finicky.

_Edna,_

_I hope this letter finds you in good health. I have made it out of Glenwood safely, and I am currently in Midgand. I thought I had seen everything in Glenwood, but I was wrong. There's still so much more I don't know. It's only a shame that you guys aren't here as well._

 

  * __Mikleo__



 

Huh. She didn't expect anything from him. In fact, she expected his wish to be friends to be all talk. Edna had never been so glad to be wrong.

_Meebo,_

_Don't dork out too much on your travels. Good to see you're having fun._

_Don't die. Stay safe._

__\- Edna_ _

 

She wrote her letter on cute stationery, left over from her letters to Eizen. She never thought she would need it again. Maybe it was a waste of gald to send a turtlez for such a short letter, but she didn't care. She promised she would never leave a letter unanswered again.

After sending the letter, Edna got to work on the dress Lailah had given her. With a thread picker, she took off some of the extra frills and laces. It left her with a plain, earth-coloured dress. It seemed more befitting of a lord of the land than her current outfit. Not to mention that her dress was getting too tight on her and hitching up too high. Had she gained weight or something? Edna had retired her glove and her boots - they too had grown too small. The umbrella stayed. Some things were simply staples.

Other than that, Edna didn't feel like she had changed. She made her daily walks around Rayfalke Spiricrest, and nothing was ever out of the ordinary. It was strange having all of this power bestowed upon her, but it hadn't changed her. She was still the same Edna. So she thought.

Mikleo didn't reply to her letter. Edna knew he was safe, yet there was something nagging at her. Worry? No no, she wasn't worried. She knew Mikleo was fine. Besides, Eizen had gone a while without sending a letter before. Then again, he had turned into a dragon…

_Meebo,_

_I hope that you're well. The mountain remains unchanged. Zaveid visits often and he asks me about you, as if I'm supposed to know. More and more people are coming every day to visit me, even though they still can't see me. I'll never get humans._

__-Edna_ _

 

Another while passed, and Mikleo still had not replied. Edna wasn't surprised, but she was annoyed. She had expressed concern, and yet he couldn't even write to her to let her know he was fine. He could have even sent a letter telling her to go away. Anything was better than silence. Fine, he could die for all she cared.

With every day that Mikleo did not write back, Edna grew more and more worried. It was Mikleo, what was the worst that could happen? Edna had half a mind to ask Zaveid to check on him, but she needed a subtle way of asking. One wrong word, and Zaveid would see right through her.

Mikleo was fine, Edna told herself. She would have known by now if something was off. She almost tackled the turtlez when she spotted him coming up the mountain path, but refrained. He handed her the letter and she all but tore it open.

_Edna,_

_I'm sorry I didn't reply sooner, I was waiting until I had something to say that might interest you. I'm still searching for something to talk about, so instead, I bought you something. I've been fine, I promise. I hope you have been, too._

__-Mikleo_ _

 

She looked up and saw the turtlez holding a package for her. She took it from him with quiet thanks, and he soon ran off. She opened up the wrapping, and inside sat a normin toy. Edna smiled to herself. It wasn't Phoenix - it was Urth. Strangely thoughtful.

Edna didn't have anything to give him in return. She looked around her, and she realised what she could do, instead. She grabbed a couple of the prettiest ednae, before pressing them into a fresh sheet of paper. On that, she wrote her latest letter.

_Mikleo,_

_Thank you for the normin; I can't put him on my umbrella, but he sits safely at my shrine. I thought that would be a good place to put him - then he helps me protect the whole mountain._

_I don't care about the topic, so you don't need to worry so much about it. I just like hearing from you._

__-Edna_ _

 

That was too soft. Way too soft. Mikleo would see right through her. She may as well have slapped on her true name for full softness. She should have ripped it up and tried again. She didn't. Edna slipped the letter into an envelope and sent it off. Whatever Mikleo said to that was up to him.

A while passed before he sent another letter, but Edna expected that. Not only did Mikleo usually take an eternity to respond, but maybe he thought the letter wasn't from her. Or maybe he thought she was strange, or laying it on too thickly. Maybe he had seen through her.

She heard the familiar hum of the turtlez, and realised her worrying was for nothing.

_Edna,_

_Did you press those flowers yourself? I didn't take you for the artsy type. You're cuter than you act._

_I have business in Highland, so I've been making my way back. Maybe I could tell you some of my stories in person, if you have the time. It would be good to see you again._

__-Luzrov Rulay_ _

 

Mikleo was coming back to Highland. He was going to be nearby again. He wanted to see her. Edna's heart went wild at the thought. Maybe she was reading too much into it. Maybe she was being hopeful. Maybe-

Luzrov Rulay? Holy shit, they were on true name basis. They were comrades, they knew each other's true names, yet somehow it felt different. Edna was reading too much into it, sure, but it made her heart go wild.

_Mikleo,_

_It's not like I go anywhere. You know where I am if you ever want to visit for whatever reason._

__-Hephsin Yulind_ _

 

That was nearly dripping with desperation - or it felt like it to Edna. Whatever. Mikleo wouldn’t read too much into it, hopefully. He wasn't as useless as she was.

Edna had almost forgotten about the letter. It helped that Mikleo was terrible at replying. Life went on as usual. Edna babysat humans at her mountain. Her friends occasionally visited her. Sometimes, she was alone, but she was never lonely. Not anymore.

Of course it was raining. Edna hated going out in the rain: if it was up to her, she would hide in her hole until the rain passed, no matter how long it took. However, she had her duties to attend to. With her umbrella over her head, she stepped out into the rain and frowned hard. The rain was light, but it was still miserable. She didn't care that plants needed rain - it was still perfect weather for frogs, not lovely seraphim like her.

She twirled her umbrella as she walked. One quick walk, and she would go back to her hole. She arrived at the shrine - as she expected, there was no one there. Figures no one would come to see an earth seraph in the rain. She heard footsteps behind her and thought nothing of it, until she could sense someone looking at her, rather than through her.

Edna turned on her heel, and she blinked up at her visitor. His violet eyes widened at her as he looked her over. For a moment, it felt like he didn't recognise her, then he spoke.

“E- Edna?” he said, unsure.

She tilted her head. “Yep. Look at you, you remembered my name all by yourself.”

“No, it's…” He gestured to her. “You look beautiful. I mean- you look different.”

Edna looked down at herself. This was how she had been for a while now. What did Mikleo expect? That Edna would look the same for the rest of eternity? No thanks - she would very much like to move on from the past.

On the other hand, the years had been good to Mikleo. His hair had grown long; snow white hair tied behind his hair, cascading like a waterfall, with the tips the colour of pristine waters. He stood just a little straighter, though he hadn't grown much. For once, Mikleo was smiling at her. Holy hell.

“Edna? Are you listening?” he asked, and the smile fell from his face.

“I was thinking about getting out of the rain. You might like being wet, but I don't,” she said.

“Oh, right. Yeah, sorry. Lead the way.”

What in the world had time done to Mikleo? He was… well, to put bluntly, he was attractive. He no longer had the features of youth. He was a man. The thought made her heart thump in her chest, gripping her umbrella tightly.

Calm down, Edna. It was only Mikleo. Mikleo, who had always been oddly attractive. Mikleo, who was always kind hearted. Mikleo, who was smarter than most people she knew. Dammit.

They arrived at her makeshift home, which was more of a hole to stay in when it rained. It had a door that kept rain out and some furnishings, mostly a bed and some storage boxes. She didn't have much, but it was home.

“So you still hate water,” Mikleo hummed. “You like to stay as dry as your sense of humour.”

“Better than being a blanket as wet as you.”

Edna expected Mikleo to whine or complain, but he didn’t. Instead, he laughed - _laughed_. Boy, he really had grown up if he could rise above her jokes. Edna looked away.

“Why are you here?” she asked.

“Like I said, I had stuff to do in Highland.”

She quirked an eyebrow. “Like what?”

“Did you build this place by yourself?” he asked.

Edna glanced around. It was essentially a hole in the side of the mountain - it was hardly a manor. Then she looked back at Mikleo, trying to keep her face unreadable.

“Wow. If I didn't know any better, I would've thought it was just an excuse to come and see me,” she said.

Mikleo's face turned red and his gaze flickered elsewhere. “No! I- Alisha-”

“Has been dead for almost a year.”

Realisation hit for both of them - Edna was right. Mikleo shifted uncomfortably, rubbing his arm.

“Has it really been a year?” he asked quietly.

“Yep. See? You lose track of time as you get older.” Edna shrugged. “... so I'm right.”

Mikleo sucked in his breath. “Yeah.”

Edna's heart was pounding in her chest. He came all the way here just to see her. It wasn't like he had anything to do except explore ruins, and yet… Edna chewed the inside of her cheek.

“You're unreadable,” he said.

“It took you all these years to figure it out.”

He frowned. “Can you stop being sarcastic for a minute?”

No, she couldn't. It was a defence mechanism.. Mikleo looked angry, and instead, she bit her tongue and said nothing. He sighed.

“Can we finally have a genuine conversation?” he asked.

“Since it's raining outside and I have nothing better to do, fine. What do you want?”

“I…”

Mikleo may have been grown up, but he still looked at her like a clueless teenager. Edna folded her arms over her chest, waiting. He clearly wanted something from her, but she didn't know what. Maybe he didn't know, either. He tried to say something, but the sound came out like someone had played a bad note on a violin. Edna rolled her eyes.

“Out with it already. While it's still this year,” she said.

Mikleo stiffened. “Well, as I've been travelling, I've been thinking. And maybe, I've…”

Whatever he was trying to say, the words died on his tongue. He tried again, but words still did not come. Then he gripped her shoulders, and words no longer mattered. His lips were on hers. Edna's breath was caught in her throat, her heart threatening to burst. Holy shit. It only lasted a moment before Mikleo pulled away. He let go, and he couldn't look at Edna anymore.

“That. That’s what I wanted to talk about,” he mumbled.

This would be the time when Edna made some kind of comment, but even she was rendered speechless. It was her turn to look at Mikleo like a clueless teenager. She had so many questions - how long had he wanted to do that? Why did he kiss her? What was even going on? - but she realised she didn't care. Common sense be damned, she wasn't throwing a chance like this away.

Edna grabbed the front of Mikleo's clothes and pushed him to the wall. He leaned his head back, staring at her like a frightened animal. Oh, that's cute. She leaned up to kiss him again, almost begging herself not to melt into him. His hands sat on her waist as he kissed her back. His lips were so soft, surprisingly so. His breathing was ragged, but here was no better. They had been waiting years for this, and now they had years to catch up on.

They spent the night catching up, mumbled confessions between desperate kisses. At least for that one night, Edna had Mikleo all to herself. For once, she could let her guard down in front of someone else. And it felt _wonderful_.

By the morning, Mikleo was still there, lazily draped over Edna as he slept. Truthfully, she expected him to bolt at the first opportunity, but he was still there. For now, he wasn’t going anywhere. She moved closer to him and closed her eyes. Edna fit perfectly within Mikleo's arms, she could have made her home in his embrace. Maybe it wouldn’t be forever, but for now was good enough.

**Author's Note:**

> WHY IS THIS SO LONG?? WHY IS IT SO RAMBLY?? Who knows. This is one of my top fave ships (along with SoRose, DezeRose and ZavLai) and it's a shame there's not enough content for these two
> 
> Follow my [Tumblr](http://vehicroids.tumblr.com) || [Twitter](https://twitter.com/vehicroids)


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